In just about one year, the highly-anticipated 50 Shades of Grey movie will finally hit theaters. Before filming began just a couple of months ago, though, the search went on for what seemed like forever to find the perfect stars.

Eventually, Dakota Johnson was cast as the sexually inexperienced Anastasia Steele, alongside Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey. In an interview with Elle, the actress opened up about what drew her into the erotic role.

“Reading the book, I found myself more interested in the ways they were breaking each other down emotionally than the sex scenes,” she admitted. “I think there’s a part of a woman that wants to be the thing that breaks a man down.”

Like E.L. James’ book, though, the movie is expected to include many NSFW scenes — but Dakota doesn’t seem worried about that. “I have no problem doing anything,” she told the mag. “The secret is, I have no shame.”